Transmission for automobiles and the like



Jan. 1, 1935, R, HEAD TRANSMISSION FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed July-2, 1931 4 sheets-$11591 1 /N z/NTOR RobertHead M ATT NEY Jan. 1, 1935. R. HEAD 1,986,265

TRANSMISSION FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE. LIKE Filed July 2, 1951 4 Sheets-Sl'leerl 2 A TTORNEY Jan. 1, 1935. R. HEAD TRANSMISSION FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed July 2', 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VENTO/e BYv l WWW/f ATTORNEY R. HEAD Jan. 1, 1935.

TRANSMISSION FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed July 2, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [N VENTOR RoEI'Hea-d A TTORNEY Patented `an. 1935 AlJNlTlati) STATES* Fon AUTOMOBILES AND- LIKE 'rmiNsMrssron'` THE,

TENT OFFE.

My Vpresent invention Yrelates to improvements in automobiles. One oi its objects is to provide a transmission unit free from shifting gear's; also to'provide a transmission unitcapable of transf@ mitting the engine power tothe drive wheels,y at

A further object of my invention; is to'provide. means for gradually imposing the load on the" engine while it is running at fullspeed and there# fore developing its full power,v as opposedto the present method of retarding the engine speed, at

a lossV of power, to increase the gear ratiok or leverage, which may be accomplished by meansof4 the devices of this invention, Without disconnect-@ ing the power unit.

Another object is to prevent back rolling ofza car when stoppedon an incline, without the usual application of brakes..

also to prevent back kicky of the engine while being cranked. l Other objects will appearfrom the 'following description." l' The purposes of my invention' may be attained in the manner described Vin thesespecinefil-tionsV and accompanyingdrawings which illustrate by way of example without there being any-inten# tion of limiting the invention to the .details of ,the

specific devices shown'and described except as required by the claims.

Fig. l is alongitudinal wheel and transmissionhousing, showing .the transf mission unit in elevation and partlyin section; Fig.

2 is a cross section throughthe housing onthe line 2--2 in Fig. 1, and shows an end View of the transmission unit; Fig. 3 is a sectional view in an ,ap-

proximately` horizontal plane; Fig. 4 is ahlen-v larged View of the variable speedclutch device.

tive or declutched position; Fig. '7 shows a clutch.

of the same type with additional means to prevent over-riding;` Fig. -8 is a modification of the variable speed mechanism, and is a similar View and on the same scale as that shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through the iiywheel housing and part ofthe transmission housprovide means that will section through the ing-'showing in elevation 'the' clutching device -for f the "modified, variable speed mechanism; Fig. 10 is a vertical section'takenon line 10-10 in Fig.' 2, showingin elevation the locking and tripping device" for controlling the clutch F; and Fig. 41 1 5 is' a rclutch-of modied formA in,v further illustrationof the principles offthose shown in Figs. el,y and 7.f Fig. 12 is a perspective view on a larger scale vof thef'parts ybearing the same numerals in the previous guresiand Fig. 13 is` the same l as FigfflZeXcept it shows some of the parts in other'positions of4 adjustment.v l

The transmission unit consists of a crankshaft B coupled direct totheV engine shaft through the ny wheel A and terminates in a disk 8. A drum or shell!)v is rigidly'secured to the driven shaft C which is'journaledin the disc 8. The shaft C isA also provided with a disc l) keyed thereto, 'and two sectorblocks 11 and 12, veach with two exftensions yor ears v13`-13 and' Y1li-14' having aligned; holes through which the shaft Creely passes so that'theblocks are journaled on Said. shaft. ,Journaledon the crank pin 6 is' one end of the connecting rod?, the opposite engi being secured to thefreel end of crank5;whichfirl..turnv is keyed to the end of a rocker shaft 4, the latterbeing suitablyjournaled in the housing D."

tfjjthelopposite end of the rocker shaft 4, another ,crank 3 yis keyed diametrically opposed to crank y5.` The'lower end of a lever 2 is secured to the freeend of crank 3, and the upperend whichis bifurcated is .connected to one endof each ofthe links 1.- 1; the other ends of 1 1 engage the studs `'lV- 12' on the'sectors* 11-12,'Figs. 1and3. f

"A sleeve member 1 5 adapted toslide along the lever `2,is trunnioned between the free ends of a frame consisting of two arm members 16-,16 keyed to .a cross bar 17 jour-naled in .stationary bearings 18-18' suitably supported from the housing. The free end of armlv terminates in, a Ylug 19 to which is connected a link 20v/nich also connects with thefoot-pedal lever 2l, Figs. 2 and3. f.

Combined, with the disc Sand drumv 9 is a rol1er22 and a crescent-'shaped block .2 3 together forming an over-,riding clutch F (Figs. 1, 5 and' 6) lfor the purpose ofl driving a shaft CV at `engine speed or allowing it to over-run the shaft (B, when it exceeds the engine speed. The crescent- 50 shaped block -23 is seated in a circular-outlined recess 'in the back ofthe drum 9 and has a stud 25'projecting through a short slot 9- through the back off the drum which 'limits the movement of 23 alsoA supports it yagain-st this c-ircular'wall of its recess. The block 23 has a convex outer edge corresponding to the outline of the recess in the drum and has a concave inner edge facing the periphery of the disc 8 of the driving shaft B; Between the latter surfaces is located the roller 22.

While one roller 22 and block 23 make a satisfactory clutch, they are shown in duplicate in Figs. 5 and 7, the duplicates being designated 22 and 23.l f f For the purpose of changing the position of the crescent block 23 so that its concave surface may. be positioned either concentric or eccentric with the periphery of the disc 8; a-detent 2`4is pivoted to a stud 70 on the back of the drum 9 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A slot 24a in the free end of the detent 24 engages the stud 25 extending from the block 23 throughthe. slot 9a in the back of the drum 9. The 'detent hasa lug 24 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) placed in the path of a conical member-or so-called "retractor 26 and is adapted to ride upon the inclined surface thereof, the conical retractor being slidable laterally (Figs. 1 and 3) along the driven shaft C. 1

With the lug 24' at the largest diameter orf-.base of the retractor 26 (see Fig.5), the end of the slot 24a in 24 will force the stud 25 to the extreme left of the slot 9a in the drum-back 9 and thereby lock the block 23 in its eccentric position relatively to the vdisc 8. The roller 22 will 1be yieldingly pressed.l into the wedge-shaped space formedby the concave surface of 23 and the periphery of the disc 8 by a light bow lspring 27 anchored to 24 and bearing against a member 28 pivoted on Y the stud 70. This member 28 is formed with two prongs 29--29' extending through slots 24b and 9b respectively in 24 and 9 and contact with 4the roller 22 on either side.

To prevent the roller 22 from entering the aforesaid tapering space before the block 23 is,"

locked in position, the member 28 is held against the action of the bow spring 27 by its ytoe 28 until the lug 24' is at thebas'e of the retractor 26, when a further lateral movement of 26 will press and disengage. 30 from 28 and thereby,v release 28.

The' bow spring 27 will then actuate 428 to'press f its prong` 29 against theroller 22, forcing'itinto the converging space, thereby locking thev disc 8 andthe drum 9 when shaft B is revolving anticlockwise and at a higher speed than shaft C and resulting in driving shaft C at `the speed of the engine shaft B.

The detent 24 is returnedto itsinitial position (Fig. 6) by the spring 9 when the tractor 26 is moved away from 9. The detent thereby returns the crescent member 23 into its concentric position and returns 28 into the position shown in Fig. 6 lockedv by the spring 30 and with the roller 22 carried into its free, unwedged position.

For the, purpose of driving the shaft C at vari-A able speeds less than that of the engine, I pro-v vide the .previously described disc l0 keyed to the shaft C and the rollers `31-31 to'grip it alternately and drive it as the sectors 11-12 are oscillated through arcs of greater orless lengthY by the variable reciprocating motion of the previously described links,1-1. The rotation. thereby vgiven the shaft C is virtually continuous as one of the rollers will rotate the shaft while the other roller is idling.- K Y The pockets formed by the inner'surface of Jthe sectors 11 and 12, and the periphery of the disc 10 are widest at the centre and taper towards either end as shown in Fig. 4. 'Ihe rollers 31--31 are vstraddhled and yieldingly pressedto the right-` or left by the prongs 32-32 and 33-33'l projecting from the plates 34-34 through slots in the ears 13 and 14, (Figs. 2 and 4) of the sectors 11 and 12. The plates 34-34 are pivotally mounted on the sectors 11 and 12 by the screw studs 71. Double ended levers 35-35 are mounted on the same screw studs 71 with the plates 34-34' and have' pivoted at their ends the latch members 36-36 and 37--37' having lugs W, X, Y and Z.

Each of these latch members has a notched slot adapted to engage the pins 39-39 and 40--40 projecting from the sectors 11 and 12 and they are pressed outwardly by the springs 38 to hold them so engaged.

When pressure is applied at either end of the "lever 35, its opposite end will move outwardly,

' the lever in'that position until released by pressure appliedto the lug W or Y as` the case may be,4 which .willA disengage the notches and pins. A pin 41 in each tiltable lever 35-35 forms anabutment for .one leg of a spring 42 and will yieldingly pull right or left against the pin 43 in plates 34--r-34' through the opposite leg of the spring 42-to shift said plates and their prongs as heretofore described so that the friction rollers 31,-31'are pressed correspondingly kinto the wedge-shaped recesses.

As aconvenient means for changing the position of the levers 35-35, two rocker-levers 44-44', with flanges 50-50 and 51-51, are so mounted in housing D that the anges may be brought into contact with the lugs W, X, Y and Z.

The rocker-lever 44 is keyed to the rocker shaft 46 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is journaled in the bearing 45 and the wa1l plate d of housing D (Fig. 1). The two ends of another lever 46 Fig. 1) k eyed at the center of the lever to rocker shaft 46, are connected vby links to two bell-cranks 47-47 mounted on the outside of the housing D. Two plunger rods 48--48 extend through the floor boards E and connect with the bell-cranks. The levers 44-44 (Fig. 2) are linked together by rod 49,'the lever 44 being pivoted at its centre to the bearing 45f. Y

A spring means, not shown, tends to return the lEeivers'44-44 to'a neutral position, as shown in A rocker shaft 52 (Figs. 2 and 3) is journaled in the lower part of the housing D and has at one end anupwardly extending lever 53 with a pin 53 extending from its free end and engaging the groove in the retractor 26 for shifting it along the shaft C as heretofore described. Another lever 54 is keyedv to the shaft 52, at right angles to 53, and a coil spring 55 normally holds the retractcr 26 away from the lug 24'` of the detent 24.

The retractcr 26 is brought in contact with this lug 24 and held there, whenever thepin 56 on the tarm 16 is pressed down far enough to bear down upon the'free end of the lever 54and cause it to ride under the latch 57 and be locked by said latch (see Figs. 2 and 3) e This latch l.57 is keyed at right angles to the lower end of fa vertical rod 58, journaled to the housing D, said rod being provided with a coil spring59 for yieldingly holding the latch 57 in the path ofthe lever 54.

A finger` 60 (Fig. 2) projects laterally from the upper end of this rod 58 Aand lies in the downward path ofV a cami 6,1, mounted on the footlever 21. At the start of the downward movement of the foot lever 21, the yunderside of the cam 61 co-acts CII with the finger 60 to turn" the rod 58 to move the latch 57 out ofthe path of the lever 54, which releases the rocker shaft 52 tothe action of the heretofore described spring. 55 (Fig. 2) to operate the lever 453 and the retractor 26'into its inactive position shown in Fig. 1. On the return movement of the foot lever 21, the cam V61 (Fig. 2) .idles past the finger 60.

Thus, it will be seen. that the over-riding clutch F is rendered inoperative or declutched at ithe start of thedownward movement of thefoot pedal 21 and remains ,declutched until the end of the downward movement ofthe foot pedal,` at which time` the pin 56 contacts as aforesaid with. the'` leverv 54, pressing it into the locked position underv theiatch 57 and so locks and maintains the clutch F in its operative or clutched position as in Fig. until the footpedalhas returned vto -its normal position and is again depressed. H

In addition, the foot pedal 21, in its downward movement, lowers the framemembers 1'6 and 16 (Fig. 2) and the related trunnioned sleeve 15 which, it will be recalled, forms a variable fulcrum for the lever 2 whereby the upper endof said lever 2 will have a variable stroke, starting from zero and increasingv in length as the foot pedal descends.

When the foot pedal reaches the limit of its downward movement, the trunnionsof the sleeve will be at the centreof' the lever 2 giving an equal travel or leverage at its extreme ends. The links l--l will thenvbe moving at their highest speed for any constant engine speed, and will oscillate the sector blocks 11--12 through their greatest arc of travel and cause the shaft C to revolve at approximately the same speed'as the driven Vshaft B. Conversely, the speed of shaft C will diminish and the leverage increase as the fulcrum 15 moves from the centre Vof 2 towards its upper end lu-'ntil finally, when theaxis of the trunnion and knuckle-joint of l-land 2 coincide, no movement will be delivered to the sectors 11--12A andshaft'C.

While the direction of rotation of the engine shaftB -is always the same, that of the driven shaft C will changein accordance with the position of the lever bars --35. In roperating a car equipped with a transmission unit as herein described, the engine will be started in the usual way, and having determined, for example, to

move the car in a forward direction, the operator will press down the foot plunger 48, which will, through the train of levers described, press the roller 31 into the right pocket of sector 11, and

' roller 3l into the left pocket of sector 12 (Fig. 4).

The plunger 4'8 will then be released.

The car will be set in motion by pressing down the foot lever 21; and the speed of the car will be gradually accelerated in proportion as the foot pedal lowers the fulcrum sleeve 15 as herein explained. When the foot pedal has reached the limit of its downward travel, the clutch F will be driving the shaft C; and any further acceleration of speed will be gained in the usual way by manipulating the engine throttle. o

In this mannerthe load is gradually imposed o-n the engine, and the car-speed uniformly increased by means of only one foot lever without a break in the power line at any time, as contrasted with the present method of gathering momentum by shifting i gears, by hand, from 10W to second and soon to high, losing momentum and power each time the engine is uncoupled .fromV the transmission gears to make the shift. I

All clutching-and declutching andall speed ratio the disc 10 being locked against a reverse motion' by thewedging of the rollers 31-31' againstthe sectors 11-12, which are held stationary by the,

links 1.--1'

To reverse or back the carafter'it is brought to.

a standstill, the plunger 43 is pressed downward and through its train of levers the-direction of pressure is changed against the rollers 31-31,

forcing them into the other or opposite wedgeshaped pockets between the disc l0 and thesecg tors l1-12, then by. pressing the. foot lever 21zthe4 driven shaft C will. revolve in a direction' opposite to that of shaft B.

However,.in backing,` the foot pedal 2l is prevented from completingits'downward stroke by reason of. the obstructing lug 62 (on rocker shaft 63) set in its path when the bell crank 47 of the reverse plunger 48 coacts with the arm 64 on rocker shaft 63 so that the pedal 21 cannot be lowered far enough to bring the retractor 26 into play to couple together the members of the clutch F and the shafts B and C. This obstructing lug or stop 62 is removed from the` path of the foot lever, when the forward plunger 48 presses its bell crank 47 againstthe arm 6.5 on the rocker shaft 63.

With some of the coasting or sc-called freeV wheeling devicesnow in use, the old arrangement of shifting gears has been retainedin addition to another train of gears andan over-riding `clutch and the usual friction clutch withinthe ny wheel, one object being to utilize the braking action of the engine when required to augment that of the service brake.

The same object may be attained by me by placing the crescent-blocks 23-23 in opposing positions as shown in Fig. 7, it being understood that the block 23 with its roller 22 will be con'- trolled by separate means, similar to that already described for controlling block 23 but connected to impart the opposite position to the-block 23* and roller 22 relatively `to 23 and 22. It will be seen that any tendency the` shaft C may have to run faster than and over-ride the shaft B will be" overcome by the wedging of the roller 22" 4into the narrow part of its pocket, and this will bring into play the braking action of the engine.

It is obvious that the same effect may be had is indicated in Figs. 8 and 9 which permits all parts of the described intermediate speed mecha- `nism to be at rest when the shaft C is directly coupled to B. By this modification, the connecting rod '7 and the intermediate speed mechanism of Figs.` l, 2 and 3 are driven by a crank pin 69 on the side of a gear 66. This gear 66 is mounted on a spindle 72 within the fly wheel housing, and meshes with another gear 67 integral' with the drum 79 which is freely mounted on the engine? shaft B" and forms the dri-'ven 4I-nember of the clutch G, the driving member being a disc within the drum 79, said disc being keyed to the engine shaft B and being comparable with thev moving the rod 80 up to unclutchfor down to clutch. When the rod4 80 is pressed downward,A

it moves the levers 81 and 83, fulcrumed at 82, andthe retractor 84, which slides on the shaft B', towards the clutchG and sets and locks the wedging parts in the same manner as retractor 26 associatedwithclutch F, previously described and shown.

whne 'the rod 8o, rige, maybe operated independently of the foot pedal21, ,(Fig. 2), it is more desirable to: have it operate in l'conjunction with it through a system ,of levers that vwill cause G to yclutch as the foot pedal starts its downward movement, andremain clutched until the footpedal has nearly `completedits upward movement, at which Vtime the variable fulcrum and its associated parts will be in their initial or neutral position. Upon completion of the upward movement of 21, the ,device G will'be declutched.

As stated, the object of this modication is to' permit all parts of the intermediate speed mechanism of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to be at rest when ther shaft C is directly coupled with and directly driven by the engine; whereas in the embodiment in Figs. 1 to 3, these parts are in; motion'even after the shaft has become directly coupled.

Moreover, a simplified form'of va variable'lever is shown also in Fig. 8, wherein a curvedand slottedk crank 73' connects with the knuckle joint of the links 1 1 and replacesthe straight crank 3, lever 2, sleeve 15 andframe composed of members 16-16 and 17 heretofore 'described in con,- nection with Figs. 1 to 3. Y

The ends of the links 1 1' may be lowered or raised by link 74 connected with -the foot pedal 21, and the stroke 1 1 will be lengthenedV or shortened in accordance with the position of the pin 68in the slot of the crank 73. f

A further use for the clutch device of my present invention is its substitution in the 4presentfor the purpose of v.bolting it to the weby of the.

engine fly wheel. The driven memberV 77 is keyed to the end of a shaftl78, von the opposite end of which will be the usual clutch gear.

A pocket 85 tapering towards its two ends is formed in the drum 75 and is adapted to wedge the roller 86 against the periphery of the ydisc 77,

whenever the roller is moved away from the centre of the pocket. A plate 91, held in place by` guide rails 96, 97, is provided with prongs 92-93 extending into/thefpocket 85 ,on either side of the roller 86 and is yieldingly pressed to the right or left'by, the fiexible 1nernbei287, one

end of which is pivoted to the centre of the plate 91, the other end being secured to the curved lever 89, which in turn is pvoted on the s tud- 90 and yieldingly held against the stop pin -94 bv-zV the coiled `spring `95.

Normally, vthe roller4 86 is yieldingly pressed.

into vthe right hand vwedging s'pace,ths being the clutched or driving position, also the position for coasting'without forcing the engine.

'L To release the clutch, the free end of the lever 89 is pressed away from the shaft 78 causing the flexible member-87 to yieldingly press the plate 91 and the ro1ler'86 to the left. AIn this position, there will be no clutching action from the driving member 75. If, however, the speed of the disc -77Y exceeds: that of thedrum 75, the' roller 85 will becomewedged and fforce the engine, and so bring into play` the'braking action thereof.

As a convenient means for operating the lever 89, a combinationof parts may be employed, similar to that shown in Fig. 9, consisting of the push rod 80, levers'8l, 83and retractor 84, the inclined surface of whichY will engage theY free end of the lever .89 .when the retractor 'is moved forward along the shaft 78.

It ywill be understood that other modifications and changes may be made in the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit Aof my invention, and I desire to include all such'as a part hereof.

What I claimris:Y l. In combination, a rotary power member; a rotary driven member; an adjustable part carried'byonermember with a space'between it and the othermember, said partbeing adjustable to make ysaid space wedging; arolling member supportedin said space having a diameter adapting it to wedge ytherein when the space is wedging; means for operating said adjustable part and for positioning said Vrolling member; an oscillating partpivotally supported relatively to the axis of the driven member having a space between itself andthe periphery of the1drivenmember, said space converging from the middle of the oscillating part toward its ends; arolling member in said space adapted to wedge in either end thereof; means under the ycontrol of the operator yieldingly forcingsaid rolling member toward either end of said space; means 'under the control of the operator for reciprocating the oscillating part deriving its power from the aforesaid rotary power member and being controllable to deliver any stroke-to said part up to a maximum at whichitrotatesxthe driven part at a' speed approaching that of the power member.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 further characterized by means which when the driven member is rotating at suitably high speed auto-y matically operates the aforesaid adjustable part, being the third element in claim 1, into its wedging position and releases the rolling member into its wedging position, thereby directly coupling the rotary power member to the driven member.

`3. In a transmission, the combination of a driving shaftand a driven shaft in axial alignment, a coupling means adapted to couple the driving and driven shafts in one direction of rotation, said means comprising a drumlike element fixed to the end of the driving shaft, having a surface of revolution; aJ disc xed to the end of the driven shaft, having a working face complemental to said surface, an element adjustable to a wedging position housed within the drumlike member, a roller-like element adapted to being yieldinglyforced intoy awedged position between the working surface of.v said disc and the wedging velement yfor the purpose of revolving the driven shaft-atthe same speed and in the same direction `as-the driving shaft but leaving the driven shaft freeto revolve at a higher speed than the driving shaft andin the samedirection, said coupling comprising another"elementgeitherxed or 'adjustableataan ',opposing'wedgingposition :to the first tmentionedfwedging element .and means for yieldingly directing ya rollerelike 'Wedging ele:y ment into .eitheriof thegwedging' spaces, comprising a ;plate`.freely mounted on the drumlike element,r provided with two prongs extending within the wedging spaces impinging on either Vside of the roller; spring means between said plate and a second plate; slotted means in said second plate limiting the action of said spring, and connections between the second mentioned plate and the adjustable wedging element for operating the latter into and out of the wedging position; further spring means for yieldingly holding said plates in an inoperative position; a sliding element freely mounted on the driven shaft adapted to engage the second mentioned plate to move it into an operative position with respect to the wedging and roller elements; means for actuating the sliding element, consisting of a foot pedal and linkage connecting a rocker-bar and yoke engaging said sliding element; a variable speed over-running transmission device comprising a disc xed to the driven shaft, oscillating members freely mounted on the driven shaft astride the disc, roller members adapted to wedge in either direction between the disc and oscillating members; means for yieldingly forcing the rollers into either wedging position consisting of plates freely mounted on the oscillating members, and terminating in prongs impinging on either side of the rollers; springs, and lever means for applying the tension of the springs to the pronged plates in either direction, said lever adapted to become locked in either position by means of detents; reciprocating rods operatively connecting with said oscillating members and a lever bar, one end of which is actuated by connection with the driving shaft; an adjustable fulcrum block slidably mounted on said lever bar, and thrust members connecting said fulcrum block to housing or frame; linkage connecting the fulcrum block and the foot lever substantially as described.

Il. The combination defined in claim 3 further characterized by a cam member in operative relation with the foot lever control, a stud lying in the path of said cam movable in one direction by the cam surface at the initial movement of the foot lever, spring means to return said stud to its normal position after having been acted upon by the cam surface and further spring means to permit the cam to over-ride the stud in the reverse direction; a detent, a latch member on the rocker-bar operated through the action of said cam and stud to release the yoke member to the action of a spring adapted to move the sliding member on the driven shaft away from the overriding clutch, releasing the control plate on same, to render the wedging element of the drum-like member inoperative; spring means for returning said foot pedal, together with the fulcrum block and thrust member to their normal or inoperative position; means associated with the adjustable fulcrum block adapted to contact with the latch of said rocker-bar and yoke, as the fulcrum block approaches the limit of its travel, to operate the sliding member on the driven shaft into engagement with the control plate of the overrunning clutch, and again renders said clutch operative for rotating the driven shaft in the same direction as the driving shaft, the cycle of action during the forward and return movementztofr'the foot. lever. being such thatduring'the irstperiod of'itsi-movement it automatically un-` couples the driving and driven shafts in one direction of rotation, its further movement 'then brings into .action the `reciprocating Ameans .for

acceleratingthe'sp'eed:of .the driven shaft and upon completing the rst half of the cycle of action it automatically operates the controlled over-running clutch to couple the two shafts in one direction of rotation and then during the last half of the cycle of action it returns the reciprocating means to an inoperative position.

5. The combination defined in claim 3 further characterized by means to prevent the foot levery from operating the controlled over-running clutch into driving position when the driving and driven shafts are coupled through the variable speed means to revolve in opposite directions, said means comprising a stop block, a rocker-bar and the levers on the rocker-bar operatively connect-V ed with the reversing mechanism.

6. In a transmission, the combinationfof one or more clutching members freely mounted on an element to be driven, means for oscillating said members comprising the reciprocating members actuated by a driving member, means associated with the reciprocating members for Varying their stroke from zero to the maximum length thereof, means carried by each of the clutch members for yieldingly holding a roller-like member into wedging engagement in either direction of rotation with the element to be driven; an over-riding clutch member between the driving and driven members, containing elements adjustable to opposing wedging positions; means for operating said adjustable wedging elements and for positioning a rolling member yin the wedging space formed between the driving and driven parts of said clutch, after the wedging space has been established; a foot lever mounted on the housing of the transmission, provided with linkage whereby the forward movement of said foot lever will vary the stroke length of the reciprocatng members proportional to the forward movement of the foot lever; further linkage connecting said foot lever and a sliding member on the driven shaft to co-act with control devices on the over-riding clutch as the foot lever approaches the limit of its travel thereby operating the wedging and roller elements to couple the driving and driven members; a latch and detent adapted to hold the sliding member in engagement with the control devices of the over-riding clutch against spring action, and cam means associated with the foot lever to contact with the detent to release the said sliding member permitting the wedging and roller members of the clutch to disengage at the initial forward movement of the foot lever, and spring means for returning the foot lever and the variable stroke means to their normal position.

7. The combination dened in claim 6 further characterized by control means for operating the reversing levers on the oscillating members, said control means comprising rocking members, the arms of which are adapted to be rocked into position to co-act with one of the detents on each of the oscillating members, the reversing lever and the yielding, roller holding means associated therewith for rst releasing the pressure against the roller, then changing the direction of pressure against the roller, and then locking into position the roller holding means to maintain the pressure in the changed direction, and spring the said rocker means, to alternately obstruct and clear the path of travel of the foot pedal operating the means for varying the stroke of the reciprocating members and the control means associated with the over-riding clutch.

ROBERT HEAD. 

